


carry you

by crowdragon



Category: Naruto
Genre: M/M, One Shot, and gai is Infinitely Patient, kakashi is a fool, not quite fluff but nothing particularly awful happens
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-26
Updated: 2020-12-26
Packaged: 2021-03-11 03:01:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,233
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28327938
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crowdragon/pseuds/crowdragon
Summary: Gai carries Kakashi back to Konoha (again) and Kakashi is having Thoughts about itkkg week 2020 day 1, prompt: burden
Relationships: Hatake Kakashi/Maito Gai | Might Guy
Comments: 2
Kudos: 63
Collections: KakaGai Week 2020 entries





	carry you

He doesn’t want to blame it on poor depth perception. Even with one eye closed or covered the majority of the time, he usually has a handle on it. But… that crack in the ground had come out of nowhere. He’s certain of it. Kakashi was just tired from trying to complete the brief mission all in one go, tripped, and bent his ankle really good. He could make it back no problem with it bandaged up, although it might have slowed him down a little. But Gai insisted on carrying him anyway. Bridal-style. He’s planning on making him put him down once they approach Konoha, but he doubts that Gai will relent. How embarrassing.

“Gai, this is ridiculous. It’s just a twisted ankle, it’s not like I broke my leg. You don’t need to carry me all the way back into the village.”

Gai laughs, warm and hearty and Kakashi thinks he can feel his teeth buzzing from the sound waves. “What kind of partner would I be if I let you walk on a wounded limb, no matter how minor you may think it is? Not a very good one.”

Kakashi scoffs. “That has nothing to do with it, I’m fine.”

“Besides you know putting pressure on a sprain will just make it take longer to heal.”

“Oh no, a slight discomfort when I move for a few weeks, whatever will I do.” Kakashi says, rolling his eye.

“I’m not putting you down.” Gai grumbles. Kakashi sighs. He isn’t getting out of this.

You would think he’d be used to this brand of embarrassment by now. He’d need more hands to count the number of times Gai has carried him back home. Whether from some dumb bad-luck injury or just plain chakra exhaustion, it keeps happening.

So, once again, he finds himself tucked against Gai’s broad chest as he runs back to the village. He’s not sure if this is better or worse than the times Gai insisted on carrying him on his back. 

It was supposed to be a short messenger run to the capital. Nothing difficult, but the noble requesting the mission had it in his head that his relatives were spying on his communications, so he’d demanded that jonin be assigned the mission. Kakashi had no idea why Tsunade had agreed to the paranoid request, let alone why she’d placed him on it too. Kakashi suspects Gai had insisted on it as a way to get him to take a relative break from more demanding missions. If he couldn’t get him to take a break now and then he could at least get him to do something easy, or something like that.  
  
Also, he thinks Gai’s been going out of his way to get more time with him lately. 

At the very least, he’s grateful for the warmth. It’s currently the dead of winter, and while the Land of Fire stays relatively mild, jonin uniforms aren’t known for being warm. Particularly when one is immobilized. He’s pretty sure the only reason Gai can still get away with that spandex jumpsuit of his is due to his naturally high body temperature. That and he never stands still for more than a minute or two. The biting wind rushing past as they go is barely noticeable next to the heat radiating off his friend’s chest. 

Kakashi is trying very hard not to snuggle in closer. He keeps his arms firmly crossed over his middle. He is definitely not enjoying this. He does not want to encourage this behavior to continue.

Not at all. Nope. He refuses. That little flutter in his chest can knock it off.

Besides, it’s dumb that this keeps happening. Gai shouldn’t have to tire himself out at Kakashi’s expense almost every time they’re on a mission together. Fortunately they weren’t pulled into a fight this time, and Gai hadn’t needed to open any Gates or anything. Kakashi will never understand how Gai deals with his nearly dead weight after whipping out the Big Hits like that. He ends up collapsing in a heap immediately after putting him down every time. It’s not sustainable. “Gai, you can’t keep babying my injuries every time this happens. We’re lucky you’re not in equally bad shape for once.” 

“Nonsense. I am never too incapacitated to assist a friend in their time of weakness. You are no exception.” He grins. “In fact, I am honored to support you like this Kakashi!”

Kakashi sighs. The big goof really means it, too. “That’s not fair, Gai. How am I supposed to accept being a burden to you when you need help as well?” 

Gai squeezes his arm. “It is not a burden. Please. I am in my prime, the springtime of my youth! My body can handle considerably more wear and tear than this.”  
Kakashi rolls his eye. “Yeah, I think I’ve heard that before from you, you know. Springtime, vigor, and all that.”

“Ha! It is what I’m best at!”

‘I don’t think you got the point of that at all…’Kakashi thinks.

Gai’s face turns serious as he fixes a piercing gaze down at him. “You deserve to be cared for, rival. Please allow me to do so when I am capable.”

Kakashi blinks. The blunt tenderness of that statement takes him by surprise. How many people have ever wanted to care for him before? His dad, but that was so long ago and he doesn’t want to think about it. Kushina, maybe, but that’s also too painful to consider. A slight panic creeps into his heart. Being cared for has never worked out for those doing the caring in his experience.   
Gai is still staring at him intently, though he keeps running. “I know what you’re going to say. Again, however, I am resilient. I’m not going anywhere, Kakashi.”

He wants to believe him. He really does. Maybe someday he’ll be able to.

Gai hums, aware that he isn’t convinced. “Consider this rival. I have cared for other people in my life besides you. Lee, and Neji, and Tenten, for instance. That care has not done me in yet.”

“But-” Kakashi starts to protest, but Gai interrupts him.

“And! You have cared for people as well, have you not? And you are also still kicking!”

“But that’s-” He can’t get a word in.

“Love is not the end of the world, Kakashi. It’s okay to to be considered precious to somebody, and to consider them precious in return. You are my man of destiny, after all!” He grins brightly.

Kakashi is stunned silent. Heat rises in his cheekbones at the intensity of Gai’s speech, the sentiment of it. He settles his head back onto Gai’s shoulder to process. He doesn’t dare hope that the simple statement is a confession of any sort. No, Gai is this demonstrative with anybody. Isn’t he? He’s been saying this kind of thing to him since they were kids. It can’t be that deep.  
But he’s warm and comfortable and a rare wave of joy washes over him at the statement, so Kakashi decides to put that particular worry out of his head for now.

“Gai…thank you.” He says, voice barely above a whisper.

Gai smiles back at him, beaming. “Of course!”

Kakashi’s heart feels significantly lighter. He basks in the warmth of his partner’s affection the rest of the way back to Konoha.


End file.
